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The Experience and Work Behind the Struggling Readers Program.
Joanne Heckbert, M.Ed. and KAS Corporation Ltd.
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The Struggling Readers Program was developed by Joanne Heckbert through KAS Corporation Ltd., bringing together decades of experience in education, literacy instruction, and professional learning.
This work reflects a long-standing commitment to helping teachers and students navigate reading difficulties with clarity, evidence, and practical understanding.
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Joanne Heckbert, M.Ed.
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Joanne Heckbert, M.Ed. is a reading specialist with extensive experience in assessment and programming for students with reading difficulties. She has worked directly with students, parents, teachers, and school systems, supporting literacy development across a wide range of contexts.
Her professional background includes:
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Teaching in regular classroom settings and highly specialized environments
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Consulting with school boards on assessment and programming for students who struggle with reading and writing
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Serving as a field experience associate at the University of Alberta
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Writing courses and facilitating professional learning workshops for educators
For seven years, Joanne was the coordinator and public face of the Right to Read Program with the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta. In this role, she supported teachers and families across the province in understanding and responding to reading difficulties.
About KAS Corporation Ltd.
KAS Corporation Ltd. was established in 1987 by Doug Heckbert, BA, MA. The name KAS represents the essential elements of effective education and training: Knowledge, Attitude, and Skills.
Doug’s career was rooted in criminal justice, and for many years KAS provided educational services related to that field. In 2018, Doug shifted his focus to writing, drawing on his experience as a probation officer. His book, Go Ahead and Shoot Me! and Other True Cases about Ordinary Criminals, was published in October 2020.
In 2015, Joanne Heckbert became co-owner of KAS, bringing with her extensive experience in education and literacy. Under her leadership, KAS expanded its focus to professional learning for educators, with particular emphasis on supporting struggling readers.
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A Longstanding Focus on Struggling Readers
Joanne’s work with struggling readers spans decades. For eight years, she instructed the Struggling Readers in-person course for teachers in Edmonton during the school year and summer months. For fourteen years, she also worked in schools as a private vendor, providing direct support to teachers working with students who experienced persistent reading challenges.
Throughout this time, Joanne developed practical tools to support instruction, including sound–spelling cards and colour-coded tile boards designed to help students learn to decode and encode words. These resources continue to be used by teachers and parents supporting struggling readers.
In 2021, Joanne brought the Struggling Readers course online, expanding access to this professional learning while maintaining its research-based, classroom-focused approach.
Supporting Teachers With Respect and Clarity
At the core of the Struggling Readers Program is the belief that effective instruction begins with understanding.
Many teachers were never explicitly taught how reading develops or why some students continue to struggle beyond the early grades. This program addresses that gap by clarifying how phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension work together, and how breakdowns in these areas affect reading development.
Joanne’s work is guided by deep respect for teachers and the complexity of their work. There is no judgment of past practice. Teaching evolves as research evolves, and professional learning should support teachers as they grow. The program provides clear, research-informed explanations that connect directly to classroom practice, helping teachers in grades 2–6 respond to struggling readers with confidence, clarity, and flexibility rather than repetition, quick fixes, or catchy trends.
Building Understanding That Changes Instruction
The work of KAS Corporation and the Struggling Readers Program is centered on building teacher understanding, not adding another set of activities or expectations.
When you understand how reading develops and why students struggle, instructional decisions become clearer, more intentional, and more effective. That understanding is what allows meaningful, lasting change to occur for struggling readers.
If you are ready to strengthen your literacy knowledge and approach instruction with greater confidence and clarity, explore the Struggling Readers Program and see how this learning can support your work in the classroom.
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